


Take Care of Those You Call Your Own

by yasmamamercury (Em_1)



Series: Coping with Quarantine [17]
Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Communication, Drabble, Love Confessions, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:26:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23369173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Em_1/pseuds/yasmamamercury
Summary: The prompt for this drabble was: "You could talk about it, you know."
Relationships: John Deacon/Brian May/Freddie Mercury/Roger Taylor
Series: Coping with Quarantine [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1669213
Comments: 6
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

"You could talk about it, you know," Freddie says, leaning back in his chair in the studio. 

Roger doesn't even glance up from the desk, "Talk about what?"

"Why you've been so fucking pissy lately," Freddie answers, lighting a cigarette before sliding the lighter on the desk over to Roger. It bumps against his elbow but the blond doesn't seem to notice. 

"I've not been pissy." 

"Really?" Freddie asks, quirking an eyebrow. "You want to tell that to the man in there who looks like a puppy that just got kicked?" Freddie nods to John, who's on the other side of the glass speaking with Brian, bass still hanging around his neck. 

When Roger finally looks up he happens to catch John's eye, who immediately breaks their gaze and turns his attention back to Brian. 

"He started it," Roger grumbles as he fishes out a cigarette, having noticed the lighter by his side. 

"Well you sure did put an end to it, in any case." 

This catches Roger's attention enough to get him to turn his head and look at Freddie briefly before lighting his cigarette, "What the fuck does that mean?" 

"It means that if I were you I wouldn't expect Deaky to come knocking at my bedroom door tonight." 

Roger sputters a cough on his next inhale, his brain too busy to try to make sense of Freddie's words to focus on breathing properly. "You know about that?"

Freddie spares a concerned glance at him before continuing, "It doesn't take a genius, darling. Although it does seem as though our resident genius has yet to catch on, even with all the eye-fucking you and John have been doing lately. Brian _can_ be pretty oblivious, mind --"

Roger groans, "Fred, your point?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Doesn't matter who started it, you were nasty to poor Deaky in there today. I wouldn't expect him to forgive you any time soon, especially with the way he can hold a grudge. Rightfully so this time, if you ask me." 

"Well, no one asked you," Roger bites out, feeling a little ambushed by Freddie's honesty. 

But Freddie doesn't bat an eye, "No, but who else is going to get your head out of your arse? Brian's too busy doing damage control."

Roger glances up again to see Brian wrap John in a hug, careful not to squish the bass between them. A spark of jealousy surges through Roger, but he knows he has no right to feel that way. Not when he's the one Brian has to comfort John about. His John. His John that he yelled at today because he's being a coward instead of talking about his feelings. He sees the irony in the sudden appearance of a possessive streak and it's almost too much to bear. Roger drops his head down to the desk with a thump and lets out another groan. 

"Rog? What's going on, darling?" Freddie's voice is gentle now as if he always knows exactly what Roger needs. 

"I think I'm in love with John," Roger admits, head still glued to the desk. 

"So?" Freddie asks, unphased by Roger's confession. "Why don't you just tell him?" 

Roger takes a deep breath and sits up, bringing his chair closer to Freddie's so he can speak quietly. His throat closes a little as he admits, "Because, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with Brian too. And with you." 

He can't bear to look at Freddie, instead focusing his gaze to his lap as he fidgets with the lighter between his fingers. Sure, he and Freddie are best friends and they arguably know each other better than anyone else does, but Roger's still afraid of what the older man will say. He feels so out of his depth here. Which, now that he thinks about it, is probably why he's been so geared up for a fight lately. 

"All of us?" Freddie asks gently. 

Roger nods and he can't stop the tears that have started rolling down his cheeks. "It's too much, Freddie. I don't know what to do."

He chokes back a sob and suddenly Freddie's arms are around him and that's all it takes for all of Roger's feelings to surge to the surface. He leans into Freddie and the tears are flowing and he's pretty sure he's making awful crying noises but it's just been so hard to try to keep everything together that now that he's breaking Roger's sure he's never going to feel whole again. Freddie soothes him and tells him that they'll figure it out but it's all just background noise to Roger. He's vaguely aware that he hears the studio door open, but doesn't realize the rest of the band has stepped in until he hears John's tentative voice,

"Rog? Are you okay?" 

Roger sits up and tries to blink some of the tears out of his eyes. John's blurry behind Freddie but it doesn't much matter. 

His voice breaks but eventually he manages to choke out, "I'm so sorry Deaks, really, I am." 

John doesn't answer - Roger didn't really expect him to in the first place. Brian quietly passes him a box of tissues that he found god knows where and Roger dabs at his wet face. Freddie glances at all of them before making the decision, 

"We need to go discuss this at home."


	2. Chapter 2

The ride home is tense and silent, the only sounds that fill the car are the quiet chatter of the radio and Roger sniffling as he tries to get his emotions under control. When they get to the flat Freddie herds John and Brian to the kitchen with a quiet murmur of,

“Why don’t you put the kettle on, dears.” 

He then throws an arm around Roger and guides him to the bathroom, where Freddie sits him down and wipes the tear tracks away with a cloth and some warm water. 

“You know you’ll have to properly apologize to John. Right?” 

Roger nods, wrapping his arms around himself for some semblance of comfort. He feels embarrassed about his breakdown, but a part of him is relieved that he was finally able to release some of the emotions he had kept buried inside. Roger hates apologies, he just isn't good at them and always awkwardly fumbles his way through them. He knows he'll have to give John a proper apology - and to do that Roger knows he'll have to tell him the truth. He isn't sure if he was ready for that kind of rejection. 

"I won't tell them what you told me in the studio," Freddie says gently, breaking into Roger's thoughts. "Not if you don't want me to." 

"What do I do?"

"I don't know, that's not my decision to make." 

"Fuck that. You _always_ have an opinion, you _always_ share your thoughts with me, even on the days I don't want to bloody hear them.” He feels the emotions rise up in his chest again and it just makes him more upset. “And now, the one time I need your opinion more than ever, you won't give it to me?" 

Confrontations? Roger could do. Apologies? Not so much. 

"Okay, yes, you're right," Freddie pulls Roger up into a hug and it damn near makes Roger burst into tears again. “Here’s what I think,” 

* * *

“I owe you guys an explanation,” Roger starts with a quiver in his voice. He's curled up in their armchair while the rest of the band is on the sofa; Freddie sat closest to him, Brian was in the middle, and John was sitting as far away from Roger as possible. 

“Go on, darling,” Freddie gives him an encouraging smile and leans forward as if Roger was about to say the most interesting thing in the world. 

Roger nods and gathers up his courage. Freddie said everything was going to be alright, so Roger _has_ to believe him. 

“Right, I know I’ve been, as Freddie so kindly put it to me earlier, very fucking pissy lately.”

Brian huffs a laugh and the corners of John’s lips twitch up. Freddie nods, silently urging him on. 

“And I’m really sorry about that,” Roger rubs at the back of his neck as he glances down to his lap. “I’ve been, uh…” He trails off, unsure as to which direction he should go next. Roger curses himself for not writing down what he wanted to say before starting this god awful conversation. 

“Roger’s been having some feelings lately,” Freddie supplies easily. 

“ _Freddie_ ,” Roger whines. 

Freddie shrugs, “What?” 

“Never mind,” That wasn’t how Roger was going to put it, but nonetheless he admits with a sigh, “I have been having some feelings - a lot of feelings. It’s been very,” He searches for the right word, “Annoying.” 

“What kind of feelings?” Brian asks, a quizzical look on his face. 

Roger makes himself take a deep breath before answering, “Romantic ones.”

Brian’s eyes widen a fraction, “Towards who?” 

“You. And Freddie,” Roger then turns his gaze to John, “And you, of course. If you’ll still have me. I know I owe you a better, proper apology--”

“Wait, did you say ‘still’?” Brian interrupts. 

Roger glares at him and Freddie gives him a pat on the shoulder, “There are quite a few things that go over your head, Bri.” 

Roger turns his attention back to John, “Can you just let me write it down first? I want to get this right, Deaks. Really, I do.” 

John’s steely gaze softens, and while he still doesn't say anything he gives Roger a small smile and a nod. That's good enough for him. 

“Can we go back to the feelings bit?” Brian asks. 

Roger groans, “If we must.” 

“Can you elaborate?” 

* * *

By the end of the day, Roger is drained, beyond exhausted. He's just finishing his evening cup of tea and staring out the window to the back garden when Freddie comes up behind him. Freddie wraps his arms around him and rests his chin on Roger’s shoulder. 

“You’ve always had a special place in my heart,”

“Really?” Roger asks, turning his head. 

“Really,” Freddie smiles and presses his lips against Roger’s. 

Brian catches him on his way out of the washroom once he had finished brushing his teeth. 

“Apparently I missed some sort of development between you and Deaky?” 

Roger shrugs, “It’s not like we told Freddie and didn’t tell you. We’re just fucking around.” Roger corrects himself, “We were just fucking around.” 

Brian gives Roger’s arm a comforting squeeze as his eyes soften, “I’m glad you finally told us how you feel.”

“Really?” Roger finds himself asking again. 

“Yes,” Brian brings his head down to capture Roger’s lips between his. 

The last thing Roger expected to see when he walks into his bedroom is John sitting on his bed. Roger closes the door behind him before walking about halfway into the room and then stopping, not sure where to go from there. He still has no idea where he stands with John.

“Hi,” 

John smiles at him, “You can come sit.” 

Roger relaxes a little and makes his way to his bed. 

“I still want my proper apology,” John starts, “But I can tell this has been really hard on you. When I saw you crying in the studio, the only thing I wanted to do was hold you. After everything you said to me, I still just wanted to take care of you.” 

“Really?” Emotion tintes Roger’s voice. 

John nods, “Don’t you see, Rog? We didn’t have to fucking go through this, my heart already belongs to you.” 

Roger leans in to bring their lips together, unable to think of a better way to express what he's feeling. When they pull back John smiles, 

“Why don’t you go get Freddie and Brian?” 

**Author's Note:**

> You can always come find me on tumblr @yasmamamercury 💕


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